Sudsing device for an aspirating apparatus



July 4, 1950 w. TROSTLER SUDSING DEVICE FOR AN ASPIRATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1947 JNVENTOR. W/LL/AM 772057159 WWW Patented July 4, 1950 SUD'SING DEVICE FOR AN ASPIRATIN APPARATUS William Trostler, ClevelandHeights, Ohio, as-

signor to Lee Products Company, Cleveland,

Ohio

Application November 13, 1947, Serial No. 785,717

2 Claims. (01. 299- 89) This invention relates to sudsing devices and particularly to such devices that may be used in connection with a household vacuum cleaner to make soap suds for cleansing purposes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive apparatus which facilitates the economical production of suds.

Another object is to provide a device of the type stated which produces a fully aerated foam of fine texture and better suited for cleansing carpets, rugs, furniture upholstery and textile fabrics of all kinds.

A further object is to provide such device with specialcontrols and regulators to insure efficient operation, and to construct it so that it is unlikely to get out of order and so that it is always clean and ready for use.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims, together with the accompanying drawing in which like parts are referred to and indicated by like reference characters and wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded side view of the device, with portions thereof broken away to show construction of a part thereof;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device mounted or assembled;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the aerator member of the device;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the aerator shown in the Figure 3, the view taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows l4 of the Figure 2;

Figure 5 is another vertical cross-sectional view of the device taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of the Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a rear end view of the aerator taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 9-5 of the Figure 3; and

Figure 7 is an exploded perspective View of the aerator portion of the device.

Conducive to a better understanding of this invention, it should be pointed out that most household vacuum cleaners are provided with a hose which may be attached to the pressure side of the vacuum cleaner blower. There are also small accessories which may be connected to the free end of the hose. One of such devices is a spraying apparatus for insecticides and similar liquids. The essential and particularly novel el ment of this invention is a small supplemental accessory or attachment which fits onto the spraying apparatus and which converts such spraying apparatus into a sudsing device when liquid.

the latter apparatus is filled with a saponaceous Referring to the drawing, there is shown in the Figure 1 thereof a jar it which contains a saponaceous liquid N? and a cover l on which there is mounted a jet-tube 2B. The jet-tube has a rear end 2! connected to the vacuum cleaner hose 23 and a constricted front end which has a small nozzle opening 22 therein. The cover I] also has a small .syphon tube 12, the bottom end of which is immersed and opens into the liquid is. The top end of the tube [2 opens into the nozzle slightly to the rear of the opening 22 as shown in the Figure 1.

The cover H and the jet-tube 2i) also have a simple valve mechanism mounted thereon which regulates the flow of the liquid i3 through the syphon tube l'2. This valve mechanism consists of a bent rod I3 which extends and is movable through the cover H. The hooked bottom end :5 of the rod is is pointed and fits into the open end of the tube I2. The top end of the rod [3 projects through the top of the jet-tube 2i) and is provided with a small button [A a shown. A small spring it tends to keep the rod is in a normally raised position. The hooked pointed end it operates as a needle valve when the button M- is pressed. Otherwise the syphon tube is closed at its bottom end to prevent accidental spilling of the contents of the container it). The size of the needle valve opening may be set by fixing the position of the button l4 by means already on the standard equipment. The aforestated parts and elements act as and are referred to herein as an aspirating apparatus.

The supplemental accessory attachable to the said aspirating apparatus and which constitutes the novel part of this invention is referred to herein as an aerator, since it aerates, disperses and diifuses the liquid or spray emanating from the aspirating apparatus.

The aerator consists of a small metal or plastiebody about two inches long and in its simplest formis tubular in shape as shown in the drawing. It has a relatively thick rear wall ti on which there is an extension piece referred to and indicated herein as a stem 32. The stem 32 and wall 3! may be made integral as shown in the Figure 2, if desired. The stem 32 is made to fit neatly into the nozzle opening 22. The front end 33 6f the body is slightly constricted as shown to retain certain of the diffusing and agitating means hereinafter described.

Extending longitudinally through the stem and wall :32 and 3| respectively there is a conduit 33 which receives the top part of the syphon tube |2. The wall 3| is suitably drilled and tapped at 38 to receive a small screw 3'] which terminates and variably closes or obstructs the conduit 33. This screw 31 acts as a valve to re ulate the flow of liquid through the conduit and syphon tube.

Also extending parallel through the stem and wall and slightly spaced from the conduit 33 there is a series of air ducts 34. The stem portion 32 containin the conduit 33 and the several air ducts 34, when attached to the aspirating apparatus, is simply a small jet pump which opens into the rear end of the body 30.

Inside the body 30 and spaced from the wall 3| and parallel thereto there is a small disk 4| having a small hole 42 therethrough. This disk 4| may be made of rubber as shown or of any other suitable material and is retained in position by the first two rings 41, as shown. The space thus formed between the partition 4| and the wall 3| is referred to and indicated as the pressure compartment 46a.

At this point it should be noted that the hole 42 through the partition 4| has an open area slightly smaller than the aggregate open areas of the several air ducts 34. The flow of air through the opening 42 is thereby slightly restricted and a back pressure is created in the first rear compartment 46a. The magnitude of the pressure is relatively small, being in the nature of an ounce or a fraction thereof. The atomized sa'ponaceous liquid in the pressure compartment 46a is forced through the opening 42 into a compartment or chamber 46 which is formed by the fine wire mesh or screen 45, spaced and held in place by another split ring 41, as shown. From this chamber 46 it passes through other similar chambers and screens and out through the opening 38, as foaming froth or suds. Each ring 41 fits snugly against the inner wall of the body 30 and to facilitate its insertion, eachring is split as indicated at 48. The heretofore described compartments 46 and 46a are referred to as the dispersing means and the partitions and screens 4| and 45 and the agitators 5B are referred to as the diffusion means. 7

When not in use, the saponaceous liquid has a tendency to dry on the screens 45 and the disk 4|, and in order to prevent clogging of the screen openings and the whole 42 for future operation, agitators are inserted in the various compartments and chambers which, when the aerator body is shaken slightly, will remove scale or obstructing articles. The agitators found most suitable are three or four small balls 5|] in each compartment, as shown.

It has been found in practice that suds formed,

by this novel device are completely aerated, that is they are drier than ordinary suds formed by agitating soap in water. Suds formed by this device have small uniformly sized beads which feel unusually dry when rubbed on the hands,

may be more emciently rubbed into the fabric because the beads thereof are more durable and elastic, and also since they are drier and better aerated the cleansing action or oxidation is more effective. Less moisture remains on the article and therefore less time is needed for it to dry and be ready for future use.

Having thus disclosed the invention in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An aerator of the type adapted for use with aspirating apparatus, comprising in combination, a hollow body member having front and rear openings therein, a stem member on the body member at the rear opening thereof and mountable on the aspirating apparatus, the said stem member having a liquid conduit and an air duct openin into the body member and connectable to a respective conduit and duct in the aspirating apparatus, a partition member having an opening therein mounted in the body member proximate to the stem member, said partition opening being smaller than the total area of the air duct so as to form a pressural air compartment, and a plurality of spaced screens mounted in the body member, the said screens having a plurality of loose balls therebetween.

2. An aerator of the type adapted for use with aspirating apparatus, comprising in combination, a hollow body member having front and rear openings therein, a stem member on the body member at the rear opening thereof and mountable on the aspirating apparatus, the said stem member having a liquid conduit and an air duct opening into the body member and connectable to a respective conduit and duct in the aspirating apparatus, a partition member having an opening therein mounted in the body member proximate to the stem member said partition openin being smaller than the total area of the air duct so as to form a pressural air compartment and a plurality of spaced Screens mounted in the body member.

WILLIAM TROSTLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,457,895 Campanella June 5, 1923 1,537,552 Rotunno May 12, 1925 1,889,236 Burmeister Nov. 29, 1932 2,090,727 Gossm'ann Aug. 24, 1937 2,119,906 Dorman June 7, 1938 2,183,561 Hamblin Dec, 19, 1939 2,316,781 Fox Apr. 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,640 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1906 

